Up for sale, a 1950 Oahu Iolana double neck steel and 403K bandstamp amplifier in collector-grade condition, complete with the original hardshell case, pedal, slip cover. Produced by Valco in Chicago, this exceptionally well-kept double neck lap steel and corresponding amplifier were the premiere Hawaiian-style pairing offered by Oahu at the time of production; the guitar was described in the catalog as the Queen of the Double Fretboards, and the amplifier is accented by an illuminated personalized name panel reading Dolores (a $5 premium upcharge). Iolana means to soar or to fly like a hawk in Hawaiian, and Valco spared no expense with this eye-catching pairing, kitting them out with premium cosmetic appointments including a white pearl covering, black plexiglass playing surfaces with gold position markers, black plastic accents on the steel, and a black-and-white leatherette wrap on the amp with a red-and-white Iolana grill with bird graphic.

Independently, both the amp and guitar yield certifiably post-war charm and sounds: the guitar is sweet, articulate, and smooth, with a pronounced vowel quality perfect for the shimmering Hawaiian melodies sweeping the nation in the late 40s, and theres a surprising potency to the pickups offering a certain dynamism. The 403K bandstamp amplifier is warm and woody featuring a three-input design (two dedicated Instrument ins, one hybrid Mic/Instrument), perfectly complementing the natural bite of the guitar with just a touch of wildness and growl when dialing things up.

The amp has been serviced as necessary with a Mercury Magnetics power transformer, while the stock output transformer is intact. The point-to-point circuit has been fully recapped with high quality Spragues, where necessary, and two of the three original potentiometers are present, manufactured by CentraLab with visible date codes from the 35th week of 1948. The factory masking tape on the edge of the chassis is initialed and dated 12-11-49. The amp is outfitted with a full suite of vintage valves including a matched pair of vintage KEN-RAD 6B4 power tubs and an RCA rectifier. The speaker is the original field coil, and it functions as intended.

This Oahu Iolana double neck steel and 403K bandstamp amplifier have been professionally setup here at Mike & Mikes Guitar Bar: the steel has been strung with two fresh sets of 14-34 roundwound strings.

Guitar Specs:

-Scale Length: 23
-Nut: Bone, 1.675 string spacing
-Playing Surface: Black plexigrass, gold OAHU graphics and position markers
-Tuners: Kluson patented open-gear, variable shaft lengths (described in the catalog as of unusual beauty)
-Hardware: Gold-plated bridges
-Pickups: Single coil x2
-Controls: Master Volume, Master Tone, Three-way neck selector switch
-Harness: Stackpole pots date to the 13th week of 1949
-Plastics: Black Ebony bridge covers with treble clef stamps, control plates
-Underside: Suede-flocked, non-slip
-Serialization: V-prefix stamp on plate dates to 1950

The White Pearl covering exhibits uniform yellowing, and theres sparingly little wear on the steel beyond a couple tiny marks along the lower bout edge. Similarly, the black-and-white leatherette wrap on the amp exhibits sparingly little wear beyond the requisite tiny marks and mild discoloration of the grill. The lights all function, including the bulbs behind the factory-ordered custom Dolores plate.

The original Geib hardshell case (guitar) and zippered canvas slip cover (amp) are included, along with the Volume pedal and some select vintage sheet music and an advertisement for this model (showing a proprietary stand to hold the steel). Each of the included items are just as well-kept as the guitar and amplifier.